Coming Home

Welcome home.

Step into light;

For us to see

Your glory.

Bless us

With your tales

Of courage

As Being.

Did it hurt

As you plunged

Into time

And space?

Let us see

The gems borne

From scars

Of life

Brave choice

To be you

‘Twas a great gift

Give us

the load

of your life.

All there is

All that was

Birth,

Love,
Grief,

Death.

One last breath

Take it all in;

Then let go.

It is done.

The journey ends.

Welcome home.

Answered Prayers

Dear Beneficiary of My Lost Wallet,

I lost my wallet on my way to Bali. It was filled with money that I was supposed to use to buy sarongs from the Ubud market in every color that you can find on the rainbow.

I recognize that everything that I planned to buy from Bali would have ended up at the back of my closet like most souvenirs I bought from all my trips. That happened to the dozens of Sarongs I bought from my first trip to Bali.

I came to Bali to pray for abundance and the gods had an odd way of answering that prayer. Instead of giving me the winning numbers to the lotto while meditating at the most holy temple of Besakih, they actually whispered these words to me:

“If abundance is what you’re asking for, let go of the need for having more than enough and be satisfied with what’s enough.”

“If abundance is what you’re asking for, what you have that’s more than enough, send it to someone who does not have enough.”

Which is why I want to make it official by writing you.

May the money you found be the answer to your prayers. May that money be my way of sending a miracle your way.

With Peace in my Heart,

Jose

PS - May you not be someone who was praying for more money to get a nose job.

Dear Generous Donor,

I found your wallet. It was filled with more money than I have ever seen in my life. I earn 200 pesos every day for selling candies and cigarettes.

I asked myself if I should keep it. With this money, I know I can take my daughter to McDonald’s every day for the rest of the year. 

My heart told me that keeping it as if it’s mine is a great sin even if I didn’t steal it. I decided to return it to you the next day but life got in the way.

The day after I found your wallet, my daughter fell ill.  I took her to the doctor who told me that she was very sick. He then gave me a list of medicines to buy.

I felt helpless. I didn't have money to buy everything in the prescription. Then I remembered your money.

I still thought that it was wrong for me to use it because it wasn’t mine. Confused on what I needed to do next, I prayed for guidance.

At the end of that prayer, I had the answer. I actually felt peace in my heart as if I was given permission to use this money to buy my daughter's medicine.

My daughter is well now. Thanks to the money that was in your wallet, she got well.

I want to ask for your understanding.

I cannot pay you back with money but I can pray for whatever it is you desire right now.

With gratitude,

Maria

Trial of the Century

Manila, PH - Today, we heard the sentencing of Lord Fernandez who was convicted for the crime of corruption of his true self and purpose. The trial was initiated when Fernandez published a blog post entitled “Confession”.
 

The prosecutor’s case was primarily built upon Fernandez’s confession. Here, we quote Fernandez.

“I confess to the crime of corrupting my own self. I woke up today not recognizing the man in the mirror. I look tired from carrying the burden of all the material possessions that I have acquired through the years.” 

During the trial, the prosecutor paraded Fernandez’s possessions:  multiple mobile phones, tablets, laptops, suit cases, phone cases, cameras, etc. All those possessions would have filled up Alibaba’s cave of treasures.

When Fernandez took the stand, he was asked by the prosecutor how he ended up amassing this much junk.

“When I was young, I did not have money for toys. Because of this, I could not join the boys in our neighborhood when they played with their toys. When I earned enough money to buy the big boys’ toys, I bought them. Every gadget I bought was my way of buying my place in the cool boys' clique.

“You committed bribery for acceptance.” The prosecutor proclaimed.

The public opinion on Fernandez was split. Some of them think he’s a monster while others think of him as a victim. When the guilty verdict came, even those who were sympathetic were not surprised.

Everyone expected the judge to throw Fernandez in jail but that sentence did not materialize.

The judge’s ruling today read:

“Lord Fernandez. It is odd that we even had to go through a trial when you practically plead guilty to the crime.  I am glad we did have a trial because it was enlightening and helped in determining your sentence for this so called crime.”

“In front of me is a broken man. You clearly have done a number on yourself.”

“What is the appropriate punishment for someone who is already suffering?”

“As judge, my ultimate job is to uphold justice. You admitted your crime. You have corrupted yourself and your confession is a cry for help.”

“As such, this is your sentence. Every day, look at yourself in the mirror. Tell that man, you are enough. The clothes on your back, the hair on your head, your voice and every cell in your body, your mind, and your heart make you whole. Every time you find the itch to acquire another gadget, or car, or house to buy yourself into someone’s acceptance, repeat unto yourself these words, ‘I am whole. I am enough’.”

The judge then stood up from his podium and approached Fernandez. The judge laid his hand on Fernandez’s shoulder and asked him to stand up.  The judge hugged him tight. When the judge let go of Fernandez, he said these last words, “Today, you have been judged with kindness. Remember that the next time you judge yourself harshly.” 

To Your Love I Yield

I promise

I will love you.

I vow to be by your side.

In light or in dark;

In sin or virtue;

You are held by my hands.

RESPONSE:

I sing of your love

Your vow to be by my side

In light or in dark

In sin or virtue

Your hands hold mine.

With your Love I yield

To My Divine

I promise

I will love you.

Mercy is served

In this banquet.

We partake of God’s grace,

We are filled with bliss.

RESPONSE:

I sing of your love

You serve mercy

In this banquet of grace.

Your kiss

Fills me with bliss.

With your Love I yield

To My Divine

I promise

I will love you.

Let go of your burden,

Plain may be the words

Of my lullaby;

It offers you rest.

RESPONSE:

I sing of your love

I let go of my burden

In the words

Of your lullaby

I find rest.

With your Love I yield

To My Divine

My oath of love

I profess.

I promise

I will love you

Now and

Beyond time.

RESPONSE:

Your oath of love,

You profess

Now and

Beyond time.

In response

I sing of your love

With your Love I yield

To My Divine.

Inspiration

Body, Heart and Mind are waiting for Inspiration .  They need Inspiration to write but as always, it isn’t easy to get her to appear when they need her.  The last time Inspiration paid them a visit; Body, Heart and Mind had to jump off a cliff.

There isn’t a cliff anywhere near where they are so Body, Heart and Mind do what Mind thinks can draw her in. They bombard her with text messages which say, “Inspiration, we need you.  Please come”.

Time passes, and Inspiration does not come.

                                    

“I’m tired. I want to rest,” says Body, yawning.

“We need you to be awake when Inspiration comes.” Mind says.

Body decides to send a different text message to Inspiration, “Inspiration, we need you.  I’m tired.  Please come soon.”

The phone vibrates and Body reads the response, “Abandon all hope, only then shall I come.”

Mind stands up, paces back and forth, and then blurts out, “What does that mean, abandon hope?  I won’t abandon hope!  I need hope to get this writing done.”

At that moment, Phobos, their pet dog starts tugging at Mind’s pants.

“Mind, I think you should take Phobos for a walk.”

“That’s a good idea Heart.  I don’t think Inspiration is coming. I give up. Come Phobos, let’s go for a walk.”

As soon as Mind and Phobos get out the door, a lady in a tutu appears in the room.

“Hello my friends,”   she greets Body and Heart.

“Oh sweet inspiration, you came.”

“I’m happy to be here. Where is Mind?”

“He went out to take Phobos for a walk.”

“Perfect! It’s hard to make Magic with Mind around.  He always hope that he can control my magic.  I just wish he learns how to give up control sooner and let us do our work.”

“Are you ready to make magic?” Inspiration asks.

“We are ready.”

Inspiration sings a song.  Heart and body dance with each other to her song.  Words start to appear on the screen of the computer.   The trio is surrounded by Inspiration’s creative light.

When inspiration sings the last note, she says, “It is done.”

“This is wonderful,” Heart and Body say.

The door opens and Mind yells.

“Inspiration - you’re here. Let’s start working?”

“Hi Mind.  We’re finished. Read this and tell us what you think.”

Mind reads the piece, “This is horrible. Inconsistent tenses.  Missing punctuations.”

                                        

“My dear friends, I’d love to stay but I need to go,” Inspiration disappears.

Heart says to Mind, “Can you do us a favor and edit the piece? Make it better.”

“I will make it perfect.”

Heart and Body smile. They are happy with the piece but they trust that Mind will not be satisfied with it until he thinks it’s perfect.

“Read this.”

“Good job Mind.  Whatever can we accomplish without you?” Heart gushes.

“Nothing,” Mind says.

                              

“Can I go to sleep now?”  Body says.

“Go ahead and sleep Body.  We are done for today.  We did well.”

I Seek

Hands hold Stick

Blindfold on eyes

A Game to Seek

The paper beast

Stuffed White, Blue, Pink

With hidden treats

A voice speaks:

"Be smart, turn to your right." 

Am I smart? To the right, I turn. 

"Hit it."

Swing the stick with all my might. 

Swoosh! No hit.

An idiot,

Am I?

A voice speaks:

"Turn Left, my Love"

Am I loved?  I go to the left. 

"Hit it."

Swing the stick with all my might. 

Swoosh! No hit.

Unloved, 

Am I?

A voice speaks:

"Turn around, pretty one"

Another one speaks:

"Forward, my dear."

Am I Pretty?

Am I dear?

More voices speak

I follow Each

To be pretty,

To be loved

To be right

But each voice

Leads to Defeat

My arms are weak. 

I ask "What do I seek?" 

My heart speaks.

"Freedom, you seek,

Let go of stick. 

Let your eyes see

See what you seek."

I drop the stick,

I let my eyes see.

The voices that jeer

They're not here.

Mere Phantoms

That lead to defeat. 

Heart's voice is real.

It knows what I seek.

I seek to see

I seek to be free

I Died For You

I died for you.  The pain of our good byes tethered you to the pain of this world

This has stopped the endless drifting of the life that you lived  but not explored.

I died for you.  The tears you wept for me lifted the fog from your eyes.   

Now you see clearly this world and its beauty.   

Now you see clearly the faces of those who love you.

I died for you.  Falling through the depths of despair gave you wings.  

With these wings you fly free. 

I died for you.  In my death your soul awakened.  

My last breath was the blaring sound that jolted you from slumber.

I died for you.  When you lost your self in the shadow of grief,  the Divine found you.

I died for you. 

Now, live for me.

Thy Will be Done

Luis has come back to his favorite writing spot: the chair - next to the window which overlooks the big pine tree across the street.  This is day three that Luis has attempted to write but the page continued to be blank.

“Today is the day”.   Luis muttered.

He is experiencing writer’s block.  The first writer’s block that he has suffered since a short story he has written about a boy and his dog was  published in the local paper.

“Now that I am published.  This should be easier,  right?”  He’s trying to convince himself that this statement is true.

Of course - he knows that is a lie.    Being published - does not make writing easier. 

“Maybe I should call on to my muse.”  

He took the brass singing bowl that lies on the desk next to where he sat.  He closed his eyes.  He touched the wooden stick on the metal bowl and began to spin the stick around the bowl.   The bowl began to sing.  

Luis prayed, “Come my muse,  I need inspiration.   What should I write?”

Luis stopped spinning the stick - and the bowl went silent.  He then grabbed the pen and held it next to the paper.   He stared at the pen,  he held his breath.   He is trying to will the words to come out from the ink of his pen.

NOTHING.

Frustrated.  Luis stood up.  Slammed the pen on the white sheet of paper. 

Luis yelled,  “Why - Why - Gods of Writing?   What have I done for you to abandon me?”

“Why did I ever think I will ever be able to write brilliant pieces?”  He muttered to himself.

“I give up.   I’m not a writer.”

And this is the truth.  At this moment - Luis is not a writer.  He is just another guy - experiencing the  pain from being creatively impotent and detached from his divine inspiration.  

Luis stared at the blank page.  Once again,  he picked up the pen and started writing:

I surrender.  Thy will be done.

Then - like magic,  the spark of inspiration came and Luis continued to write.   

Like the many gifts of the divine - inspiration is not a slave that comes when we will it.  No amount of previous success will assure that it will come back.  No rituals and prayers will assure the answer from the gods of creativity.  And when we rage on for being disappointed  for being deprived of the  gifts we think we are entitled to - we may actually have done nothing but scare the gifts from coming our away.

For the divine inspiration comes - not when we call.  It comes when we feel defeated and finally surrender and acknowledge its power over us and say:

“Thy will be done and not mine”

One

Come be Awake

Soul calls to Self

Mind is still

We are one

Step into light

Warmth of Love

Gift of Peace

We are one

Embrace the Sorrow

Forgive the Darkness

Remember your light

We are one

Live the Mystery

Connect unto Other

Discover their Light

We are one

Hold the Divine

Here and now

Eternity is Here

We are one

I Know Nothing

How is it to live a life of curiosity? How is it to discover how it feels like to live, to truly live?

Can we be curious about how our body feels like when it experiences love, anger, fear, joy, disappointment? 

Our mind will say, I already know how it is. I know the ending to this story - and I don't like it. So the mind will refuse to cooperate and protest against this thing we will call "living our life".

Then the heart tricks us to doing as it pleases, disregarding the quiet protest that the mind has displayed - with its arms folded across its chest. Then we live life - and we experience the love, or anger, or fear, or joy, or all the other emotions we experience in our lives everyday. Then the mind speaks after all this and say "I know nothing".

Splash

Heart woke up early.  Heart was excited because today, he is all set for an adventure.  He is going to jump off a cliff into the crystal blue waters surrounding this beautiful island.  Heart woke up Mind and Body to get them all to join him in this adventure.

Mind was hoping that Heart will lose interest in this nonsense.  He thinks this is crazy.  He had always won all arguments with heart in the past.  But something changed recently, he doesn’t know how but Heart seemed to have found courage.  He thinks all that Light Writing has made Heart crazy.  

The friends finally reached the cliff.  Body was uncontrollably shaking.   He feels he is held hostage by Heart’s idea.  He refuses to move towards the edge of the cliff. 

Mind realized that Body has gone stiff and felt triumphant.  It seems like - Heart is not going to get his way this time.  He then heard Heart saying.

"Body my friend, I can feel your fear.  I know that you are fragile.  I know that you think - you have the most to lose in all of this but I ask of you to feel that behind that anxious feeling, there is a curious voice that is telling us, ‘This can be epic’.”   We can stop this now if you want but come and hold my hand – and feel my courage.  Use this courage to propel us to run towards the horizon and face our adventure.”

Mind - rolled his eyes.  That word … Courage … again.  It all now comes to this - he seems to have no choice but to hold hands with Heart and Body - and jump off the cliff.

And so the three friends jumped.

ONE

TWO

Mind felt ecstasy.  We are flying - he thought.

THREE

FOUR 

Body, fully relaxed felt that time has stopped while they were mid-air.

FIVE

A big splash - and they all felt the cold but tender embrace of the ocean as they sank deep into the waters.

SIX

SEVEN

The three started to float to the surface. 

Body started to breathe.   Mind is speechless.   He sees the world differently now.  Every ounce of anxiety is gone - and he is ecstatic over the knowledge that he gained.   He can jump off a cliff - and live to tell about it.

Heart - is triumphant.  As they jumped off this cliff,  Body, Mind, and him: Heart was one.

They gave each other high fives.

Heart said, "This is awesome - I'm now ready for our next adventure".

Mind nervously asked, "What adventure?".  

"Today - we jumped off the cliff - and we experienced oneness through it all.  I think we are ready."

Body stiffened.   He senses danger.

"Come on my friends,  after this,  what else can top this?   Let's all seek the greatest adventure in this world:  finding Love."

You are AWAKE

Congratulations!  You have leveled up.  You have reached the world of AWAKE.

You have battled many monsters in the world of EGO and for a while,  it seemed like  you would never get out of that world but your heart energy was strong and all the angels were rooting for you - so it was inevitable for you to reach this stage in the game.

So in this world - of AWAKE - I have to deliver the warnings that come with any game.   You may find that it is not going to be easy in this world.  Your greatest challenge is your old friend - the EGO.  If you think that you have vanquished him in the previous realm - I’m sorry to say that as long as you have not reached the world of ENLIGHTENMENT - the EGO will always be there.   He will tell you that you don't belong here - and that you are not good enough - which might sometimes be enough to go back to his world and for you to sleep-walk once again.

So what does this mean for you?  The good news is that - you have gained the powers of AWAKENING.  You now know - that this world is not real.  That the only thing real is the LOVE that made this world for you.   But the ego will always attempt to convince you that this world is real - because once you go past AWAKENING - he knows that he will lose you forever.  His greatest power is fear - while yours is love.

Don’t be frightened - the angels are still with you.  You’ve learned your lesson - watch out for the signs.  For you - nature will always be the deliverer of the signs.  It will show you the right path but take note that the signs will not be visible - unless you remember that miracles - big or small - are manifesting all around you.

So enjoy this world my friend.  This is going to be fantastic.  You will be able to experience the best that this world has to offer - just keep your heart open.  And one more thing - don’t forget to activate up-up-down-down-left-right-left-right-b-a - or simply just call out for help — and we’ll jolt you from your doldrums and remind you that you are AWAKE.

I love My Job ( Even on a Monday)

The office chime is blaring from the speakers signaling the end of today’s work day. It’s a Monday – and Ben thought that the end of the work day couldn’t have come sooner.

Ben packed his bags – and walked out of his office

“Good bye everyone, y’all have a good evening.” Ben said to the people who sit next to his office.

Ben got to his car – which like many times before – is being driven by his father. He gets teased a lot by his office mates for that. He's a forty year old Papa's boy.

Ben asked his father about his pain therapy – to which his father replied. “OK lang --- mukhang gumagana naman yung therapy” (It was ok – it seems to be working).

“That’s good.” Ben said.

“That’s good,” Ben repeated and like all other car rides before this, his thoughts were no longer inside the car.

“I love my job but …”

Yes – Ben loves his job but it does feel like there are days like this when he thinks, “I love my job but …” He loves his job – but he can’t seem to think that most days – it’s drudgery. He doesn’t like the days when his mailbox is full and with each e-mail screaming "answer me". Or those days when there are a gazillion invoices and expense reports to review.

“Ugh!"

Then he paused and said to himself, “But those e-mails are nothing compared to the blessing of being able to connect to the people I work with.”

This again is the truth – Ben loves his team. It’s the best part of his job.

“I love my team but …”

Again – that word – BUT. Today he spoke to George who set up a meeting with him because he needs to bounce off an idea with Ben. The meeting went too long - and by the end of it - both Ben and George were confused. Ben recalls saying to George when the latter was expressing his frustration, “I know what you are saying and I understand where you are coming from and if I were in your shoes – I will feel and think the same way.”

That’s a lie. He doesn’t know where George is coming from. Ben is a people pleaser and he has the gift of saying what seems to be the right thing to say to others. This is why people like him because he makes them feel better when they talk to him. Ben likes the thought that people like him and he thinks that if his team mates don’t like him – he is nothing.

“But I wish I can just tell them the truth ... when they need to hear it ... even if they can't handle the truth.”

He muses, "I wish I can tell someone to fuck off when he or she is being a pain in the ass"

The car stopped – which halted Ben’s contemplation about his job. Ben hears his three dogs barking. He is home. He got off the car and headed on to the door. He opened the door to be welcomed by his dogs who seem to have missed him so much. He smiled – this is the highlight of his day.

“I love my job and – I live a good life. I should just be thankful.”

As Ben thought about this – he knew that these were just affirmations – that most days they are true but today – it’s a Monday --- and today he wishes that all the words were true.

Love is Enough

Midori, my Beagle, is staring at me with her beautiful almond shaped brown eyes. I love how she looks with her white face. I think that the white face gives her a very dignified look. My cute little dignified baby Beagle.

Her intent gaze is one of her tricks. She can bark to ask for the piece of chicken that I’m about to put in my mouth but she knows that the gaze is enough for me to give her this treat. So I tossed it over to her which she caught. She’s great at catching food. She never misses.

“Thank you,” she said.

“You’re welcome” I replied. I looked around and made sure nobody sees me speak to my dog.

“What’s up with you today?” she said. “You look glum.”

“I had a bad day at work,” I said with a sigh, “I didn’t prepare well for a presentation and it tanked. Now I feel like shit because I knew I should have prepared better for that presentation!”

Midori jumped onto the couch and walked over to me, put her paw on my shoulder and started licking my face.

“I love you.” She said.

“I love you too.”

Now it’s my turn to stare at her.

She stepped away, sat and started to ask. “What?” tilting her head to the side.

“Midori,” I said “What do you think of me … as a father - I mean?”

“Oh daddy,” she said rolling her eyes. “You know I can’t answer that question. We dogs don’t think. We can only feel.”

“I never put any thought on how you are as my daddy,” she paused and then started again, “Let me answer that question differently. I can't think of how you are as my Daddy but I can tell you how I feel about you. And I always feel the same. When you’re around … when you’re not around … when I eat … when I pee … when we take our walk … I just always feel love for you.”

I got emotional and started crying. I asked, “How Midori? How can you just feel love for me and nothing else?”

She licked my face again and whispered, “How can I not? Our creator made all of us with the power of love and therefore all creatures of this earth is filled with love.”

“And daddy, let me tell you a secret, even you are filled with love. Everything else that you see and feel that is not love is just an illusion.”

“Here is proof: Come and hug me and just feel what happens."

I hugged her. I hugged Midori and closed my eyes. I can feel her heartbeat and I can also feel our love for each other. We both just sat there as I hugged her tenderly. At that moment, I thought and felt, this moment is enough. I am enough. Love is enough. Love is all there is.